Electric train-controlling system



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

P. J. MQQUEEN.

ELEGTRIG TRAIN CONTROLLING SYSTEM.

No. 347,628. Patented Aug. 17, 1886.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. P: J. MCQUEEN,

ELECTRIC TRAIN CONTROLLING SYSTEM.

Patented Aug. 17, 1886.

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FLETCHER J. MCQUEEN PATENT OF OOAIJA, FLORIDA.

ELECTRIC TRAIN-CONTROLLING SYSTEM.

BPECILEECATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 367,628, dated August 17, 1896,

Serial No. 200,684. (Xe model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Bc itknown that I, FLETCHER J. McQUEEX, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ocala, in the county of Marion and State of Florida, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electric Train-Controlling Systems, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the present invention is to provide means for controlling the movement of railroad-trains and obtain a permanent record in a main or supervising ofllce of the position and speed of trains at any distance from such supervising office.

The invention consists in a recording-instrument comprising a clock-work and revolving graduated dial, a stylus or marking device held out of actionby an electro-magnet included in an electric circuit and brought into action by the breaking of such circuit through the medium of a moving railroadtrain at any distant point or station. When a train reaches a point or station within the division belonging to a certain supervising otlice, it serves to actuate a circuit-breaking device arranged between the track, and in consequence thereof a record of the position of the train and its speed is made at the distant supervising office, and an alarm is simultaneously sounded. A series of such circuitbreakers, electric circuits, and recording-hp struments are provided so as to control the movement of different trains on the same track.

The invention briefly outlined in the above statement will be hereinafter more fully described, and then set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents my arrangementof electric circuit, contact-breaker, recording instrument, annunciator, and battery. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the recordinginstrument. Fig. 3 is a plan view of a railroad-track and series of circuitbreakers, circuits, and recording-instruments. Fig. -l is a detail view of a yielding and 1aterall y-adj ustable striker on alocomotive or car.

In order that the invention may be properly understood, I will first give a brief general description of the system, the relation of the various instruments, and their clectricconnections.

All the stations included in a railroad division are under the supervision of an official at a main station, and means are provided for graphically recording the position of trains departing from or appraching said main or supervising station. I attain such result by providing as many electric circuits as there are trains to be controlled, and in each of said circuits is included an instrument adapted to mark down or represent graphically the position of a train relatively to the stations in the railroad division. The electric circuits are normally closed, and they contain circuit breakers or contact-making devices which are operated by devices carried by the locomotive, or by the cars and locomotive, in order to opcrate the recording device at the supervising station. The recording-instrument is an ordinary cloek, the main arbor of which carries a disk adapted to hold a tablet upon which is printed a dial-face corresponding to a period of timesay,twenty-four hoursthe names of stations, the number of the train, and such other information as may be necessary for the perfect control of the running of trains. The dial receives a uniform progressive movement by the clock, and hence whenever the circuit is broken bya moving train an imprint mark or puncture is made on the dial by the stylus or marker, and the marks thus made serve to indicate the position of the train relatively to the stations of the division and the speed at which the trains are traveling.

Referring to Fig. 3, the reference-numeral 1 designates a railway-track between which are arranged a series of electric-circuit breakers or keys adapted to be operated by moving trains. These circuit-breakers are arranged in groups at different distances away from the track-rails, and the trains running on the track are adapted to actuate each a different circuitbrcaker by striking devices arranged on the locomotive or the latter and the cars in proper alignment with the circuit-breakers on the track. Since all the circuitbreakers are alike in construction, the description of one willanswer for all.

The numeral 2 designates a vertical metal arm, which is pivoted to a foot piece or bracket, 2, on a cross-tie or other support on the road-bed. In proximity to this pivoted arm is arranged an insulating-block, el, which receives an anglepiece, 5, of metal, having its vertical portion seated in said insulatingblock audits horizontal portion extended to normally make contact with the arm 2. A spiral spring, 19, connected with the insulating-block and arm 2, serves to hold the latter in contact with the angle-piece 5. A complete electric circuit is formed one half by a linewire, 6, which is preferably arranged along the track-rails either above or below ground, and the other half by the ground itself. The wire 6 is connected with the metal piece 5 and pivoted arm 2, audit extends to the supervisi ng office, where it is connected with the poles of a battery, 7. The electric circuit thus formed includes an electromagnet, 9, at the supervising office, and in cooperative relation to this eleetro-magnet is arranged aeentrally-pivoted lever, 10, bearing an armature, 11, which is normally attracted by the electro-magnet. The lever 10 is pivoted to a post, 12, rising from a base-board, 13, and at one end it bears a stylus or marking-point, 14, which is disposed immediately over a recording-instrument, as will be hereinafter explained, for the purpose of making a puncture or mark on a dial. The Other end of thelcver 10 moves between alug,15-, and stop-screw 16 on a vertical arm or bracket, 17, these devices serving to define or limit the movement of the lever. A coiled spring, 18, is connected with the lever 10 and base-board 13, and serves to pull its stylus-bearing end down upon the recording-instrument when the electro-magnet is demagnetized by the breaking of the electric circuit through the medium of atrain coming in contact with any of the series of circuit-breakers located in such circuit along the track. The electric circuit,

in addition to the aforementioned electro-mag-.

net 9, contains the eleetro-magnet 20 of an annunciator or alarm-bell, 21, the hammer of which is released when the circuit is broken. A spring or other device will cause the bell to ring, attracting the attention of the supervising officer to the record being made.

The recording-instrument consists of aclock or time movement, 25, which is adapted to propel a graduated dial at a regular speed past the marking point or stylus 14. To the main arbor of the time-movement is applied a disk, 26, having a central pin, 27, and clamping-nut 28, for retaining in positiona dial, 29, in the form of a tablet or sheet of paper or other suitable material. This dial 29 is preferably divided into twenty=four segmental spaces, corresponding to the hours of the day, and it also bears an inscription indicating the number of the train and the names of the stations along the line.

It will be understood that the cireuit-breakers are placed in the line-circuit at known or predetermined distances apart, and hence it is apparent that the position of each train is graphically indicated whenever a circuitbreaker is operated thereby, and I thus obtain a reliable control over the speed of trains, and can observe at the supervising office the exact time when each train passes certain given points along the line, in addition to obtaining a perfect registration of the arrival and departure of trains from stations along the line.

The means carried either by the locomotive alone or by the locomotive and cars for actuating the circuit-breakers or traek'keys may be described as follows, viz: A transverse bar, 30, (shown in Fig. 4 as being fixed to a locomotive,) receives a collar or clasp, 31, to which is pivoted by a pintle and cars a pendent plate, 32,which projects sufficiently far down to come in contact with the trackkey or circuit-breaker. A spring, .33, boars upon the plate 32, and is secured to the collar 31, for holding said plate in proper position.

A locomotive advancing toward a circuit-breaker arranged in line with its striklatter it can be shifted along the bar to bring it in line with any one of the circuit-breakers -or track-keys belonging to diflerent recording-instruments. The object of this lateral adjustment is to provide for the changing of the number given to trains, as will be obvious. I may, whenever desired, provide each .car of a train with a striking device, such as I have above described, and in such event the number of cars on a train will be duly recorded at the supervising office. WVhen cars have such striking devices, it is neces sary that they should be adjustable in the manner described in connection with the 10- comotive, because provision must be made for using such cars on trains bearing different numbers, and consequently co-operating with different keys along the track.

In Fig. 3 I have shown groups of circuitbreakers arranged at opposite sides of the track and adapted to be operated by trains traveling in opposite directions. It should be stated that the circuit-breakers arranged along a railroadtrack in the above-described manner will permit the supervising oflice to be signaled when a train meets with an accident or its move ment is otherwise arrested. In such event the circuit-breaking arm can be operated by a suitable lever, so that it will serve as atelegraph-key for giving appropriate signals upon the bell at the supervising-station.

I claim 1. In an electro-railroad-train-controlling system the combination, with the closed linethe lever, the clectro-1nagnet arranged in 00- ing of a sliding collar and a pivoted springoperative relation to said armature and inpressed arm or plate, with a series of parallel cluded in the line-circuit, and the spring contrack-keys or circuit breakers, electric cirnected with the lever for causing the stylus euits, and recording devices, substantially as 15 5 carried by the same to make a record on the herein set forth.

graduated dial when the circuit is broken by In testimony whereof I have affixed my siga passing train, substantially as herein sct nature in presence of two witnesses.

forth. F. J. MCQUEEN.

2. In a railroadtrain-controlling system, Vitnesses: 10 the combination, with a locomotive or car, of JAMES L. NORRIS,

a laterally-adjustable striking device, consist- J A. RUTHERFORD. 

